Threats to forest reserve management from mining practices in Tarkwa forest district, Western Region, Ghana

Abstract

The study assessed threats to forest reserve management from mining practices in the Tarkwa Forest District of the Western region of Ghana. The study’s research design is a qualitative research design. The study uses descriptive survey through which data were gathered from a sample size of 100 respondents which were chosen out of 1000 target population in the Agona, Bonsa and Bonsawere community and also the Forest Services Division of the Forestry Commission all located in the Tarkwa Forest District. Questionnaires being a primary data has been the pivot of data collection instrument in collecting information that relates to the study’s topic. It was revealed from the study that, respondents are aware that activities such as ground fixing of gold detector machines, digging of tunnels, trenches and pits, blasting and cutting of rocks, construction of sheds and wooden structures, extraction of mineral ores, washing of mineral ores that are carried out in the forest reserves under the open cast mining processes are those that have serious effects on the Forest reserve. Furthermore, the study revealed that, respondents are aware of the effects that open cast mining have on forest management. Through in-depth interviews with some selected respondents, they claim that, although the mining activities carried out in the forest affects the forest reserve and the environment negatively, they are out of choice since they solely depend on the mining for monetary benefit which they use for their livelihoods. For this problem to be addressed, there is the need for lucrative job opportunities for the community populace which will ease the pressure on inappropriate mining, and comprehensive sensitization of the community members about the future effects that these mining activities have on them.